At the County Orphanage for Boys television hero Captain Talray is bringing gifts to the orphans. Timmy (George Winslow) is the last in line. When he asks for a space gun the head master says there are no more left. The only things left in the box are two toy planes. At that moment a man from outer space appears. No one sees him. Timmy is disheartened and begins to walk away. The headmaster looks again into the box. Now there is a space gun inside the box. Timmy is given the space gun. Since it suddenly appeared Timmy believes it is a special gun.
While playing with his friends Timmy sees a car racing down the road. One of his friends falls down on the ground in front of the car. Timmy shoots his gun at the car which suddenly stops before it hits his friend. A motorcycle patrolman following sees what happened. The cop also sees that the driver is drunk. His name is Big Bill Watkins (Emory Parnell). He’s a big shot running for office and is quite obnoxious. The patrolman takes Watkins to the local Justice of the peace Amelia Brown (Spring Byington).
In the meantime Amelia is at the orphanage to pick up a child who will stay with her for a few weeks. The child is Timmy. Timmy is suspicious of people but Amelia is one of those rare individuals that Timmy has never encountered before. She listens and lets him be who he is. She is also not afraid of frogs. Timmy agrees to go with her and brings his pet frog Sol along with his space gun.
Amelia is not impressed with Big Bill or with the fact that while driving drunk he almost ran over a child. She sentences him to ten days in jail. Big Bill is devious as well as crooked. Big Bill has big plans for the orphanage. He wants to buy it and close it. This means the kids would have to go to the already overcrowded state orphanage. Amelia does her best to try to get enough money raised to out bid him but Bill has too many connections.
The space man comes to Timmy while he is sleeping and tells him to use his special gun. He says that it will help him do whatever he wants but he must always use it for good. It’s up to Timmy and his space gun to help Amelia save the orphanage.
“The Rocket man” was released in 1954 and was directed by Oscar Rudolph. The film is a low budget family comedy with a science fiction twist. It is an obscure little movie that has been likened to the Frank Capra style of film. You know that you are watching something schmaltzy when it deals with orphans and/or orphanages and saving them from being foreclosed on by big bad bullies.
Regardless it’s still a fun little children’s movie. Full of warmth, humor and is your basic fifties style tale with a moral. It’s Saturday afternoon filler on local TV after the cartoons are done.
The movie is also full of some great stars. Anne Francis from “Forbidden Planet” 1956, John Agar and Beverly Garland from half a dozen science fiction and horror movies and George Winslow who was the six year old Henry Spofford III from “Gentlemen Prefer Blonds” 1953. George, affectionately known as George “Foghorn” Winslow is known for his deep raspy voice even at age six. Character actors Charles Coburn, Spring Byington and Stanley Clements round out some impressive talent.
Comedian Lenny Bruce is credited as being one of the writers. Bruce is known for his off color humor. None of that is present in this child friendly film.
I would so much love to have a Rocket Man laser gun of my own. I promise to only do good with it.